Oct 15 Weekend Links / / Sleepy Date Nights

Last Sunday, Jordan and I went on our first official date night. I say real because when we went to the Kanye West concert I had already put Phoenix to sleep. This time someone else put him to sleep! Successfully! We attended the Gilmore Guys live podcast recording, which was a blast. I look forward to future date nights but honestly it's hard to muster up the energy to stay awake long enough to watch a movie at home.

In other news, sleep or lack there of is on the brain. Phoenix is not a naturally sleepy baby. He has never slept through a daytime feeding and his naps are sporadic. Bedtime has always been smooth, though he is still up 3-4 times a night to eat. I believe part of this is because he is still small and needs the calories. He was only 10 lbs 12 oz at his two month appointment. He's long and lean just like his dad!

My maternity leave is quickly coming to a close and I want to set Phoenix up for success. He is still too young for any serious sleep training, but this week I began experimenting with the pick-up-put-down method for daytime naps and he seems to respond well. And by well, I don't mean he slept for two hours. I mean he slept even for a short time. I'm always curious how other's deal with newborn sleep. Did your babies adhere to a schedule from the start?

Cinnamon Apple Crumble Cake | Cinnamon and apples, need I say more? I love that Fall in Nashville is longer than in the midwest but I miss going to apple orchards. While Jordan and I were dating, we went every year.

And also it's ok to give it a year. Because what's a year, really, in the scheme of things. It's nothing. A year is nothing. To get rid of the shoulds and replace them with the I wants and the I'm ready"

This piece of advice was in response to whether or not Sydney is ready for a third baby, but I think it's relevant for any stage of life

10 Chocolate Brands to Avoid | With Halloween around the corner I wanted to share this article about popular chocolate brands who exploit child slavery. While, this means no more Snickers bars there are plenty of companies who avoid profiting from child labor.

Creating a Makeup Capsule Wardrobe | I talked about creating a capsule makeup collection after reading Kelsey's post. It's even more appealing now that I need to get ready quickly! I'm processing whether or not I want to be an eyeshadow girl. I have a lot but I never wear them anymore! Or should I ditch the single shadows and invest in a simple palette? Real tough questions, guys!